U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,793 granted to Donald M. Mauldin and Richard E. Jones, III on Apr. 5, 1983 discloses a Removable Ankle Brace. U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,965 granted to Mauldin and Jones on Nov. 15, 1983 discloses a Brace For Tibial Fractures. Both of the prior Mauldin-Jones devices employ a rigid shoe comprising a wooden body portion. Side members extend upwardly from both sides of the rigid shoe and are secured to the wooden body portion thereof by means of threaded fasteners.
Although the braces disclosed in the above-identified patents have achieved considerable commercial success, certain difficulties have been observed in the use thereof. In particular, it has been found that after extended use, the fasteners that secure the side members to the wooden body portion of the rigid shoe tend to loosen. This can lead to the possibility of relative movement between the side members and the rigid shoe. Since the proper functioning of the brace requires absolute stability between the side members and the rigid shoe, it will be understood that loosening of the fasteners which secure the side member to the rigid shoe necessitates either the repair or the replacement of the brace. Thus, a need exists for an improved brace structure which retains the beneficial characteristics of the prior Mauldin-Jones devices, but which eliminates any possibility of relative movement between the side members and the rigid shoe even after extended service.
The present invention fulfills the foregoing requirements to provide a substantially improved brace structure that is highly useful in the medical treatment of the lower portion of the human leg. The brace comprises a rigid shoe which is characterized by a molded plastic body portion. Molded plastic side members are formed integrally with the molded plastic body portion and extend upwardly from both sides thereof. This eliminates any possibility of relative movement between the side members and the rigid shoe of the brace.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, the molded plastic body portion of the rigid shoe comprises a bottom wall and a side wall extending around the periphery of the bottom wall. Longitudinally and transversely disposed ribs extend upwardly from the bottom wall to a plane lying beneath the upper edge of the side wall. An inner sole having a double thickness in the heel region is supported by the ribs and in turn supports foam layers which receive the foot of the patient. The molded plastic side members extend upwardly from the side walls of the molded plastic body portion on opposite sides thereof and are provided with vertically disposed reinforcing ribs. Molded plastic side pieces are secured to the molded plastic side members by suitable fasteners and extend upwardly therefrom. In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, an extension is secured to the side pieces for use in treating tibial fractures.